Mar 10, 2010

Yushaw was five years old when I first heard about him last fall. He lives in the remote mud-hut village of Zugu, in the Northern Region of Ghana, West Africa. This is a very poor Muslim village with no Christian influence.

When Yushaw's father died last year, his widow, Salmatu, had no way of providing food for her children. The children survived on hand-outs from other poverty-stricken villagers, but after awhile, they had no more food to share.

One day, my friend and co-worker on the mission field, Pastor Ziblim Mohammed, from a neighboring village was in Zugu, checking on widows and orphans when he came across Yushaw and his sister. He was suffering from severe malnutrition and not far from death. He could not walk. Here is one of the first pictures I received. Yushaw is on the right. Remember, he is five years old.

By the grace of God, Pastor Mohammed was able to get Yushaw and his sister to a local private hospital where they were treated for malnutrition. They were given nutritional supplements and food was purchased for their family from the local market. After a couple of months, here is what Yushaw looked like. But he still couldn't walk.

That was several months ago. Yushaw is now six years old. Just this past week a friend of mine went to Ghana and he went to see Widow Salamatu and her children. This is the picture he sent me as soon as he landed in the US.

And guess what?Now he can walk.And now I cannot stop thanking the One who made it all happen. Some of you were used by God to make it happen and I thank you for being obedient and especially for your kindness.

Mar 6, 2010

Death is often an unwelcome visitor in many mud-hut villages in the Northern Region of Ghana, West Africa. The death of a father leaves the wife and children with no income or way of support. That translates into no foodfor the family.

Many times I have been asked why the other villagers do not "take in" the widow and her children, now viewed as orphans, and take care of them. The answer is simple. Most of them are unable to feed their own families, much less others.

So what happens to these widows and orphans? Many of them become sick and die way too soon. Some of them eventually die from starvation. Some of them find a way to eek out a meager existence by gleaning in nearby wheat fields. Some of them spend hours and hours in the bush picking up shea nuts, drying them, pounding them and the selling them in the local market for a few pennies. Allof the children are put to work hauling water and searching for food, which means they do not attend school. It is a viciousviciouscycle.

THIS.IS.NOT.RIGHT. THIS. SHOULD. NOT. BE. SO.

Doesn't God's Word say that we are to help take care of them? Aren't we commanded to do more than just love with words? Aren't we told to visit them in their distress? Doesn't Jesus tell us that when we are serving them we are serving Him?

Let me say it again. Doesn't Jesus tell us that when we are serving them we are serving Him?